How to Enable or Setup Remote Desktop in Windows 11

Remote desktop is one of the most used tools on Windows PCs. With the help of this tool, one can easily access his/her work remotely on some other devices. This article explains how to enable and setup Remote Desktop on Windows 11.

If you were searching for the same, learn the two effective ways to enable Remote Desktop on Windows 11. After you have enabled this feature on your computer, you may easily set it up.

What is Remote Desktop?

Say, you are working on a computer and suddenly have to move to a different location. What you can do to access all your PC’s work remotely. Well, A remote desktop connection proves to be very effective in such cases.

Using this tool on Windows, you may connect to a computer located at some other location and access all your work. However, before you can go ahead and access your work, you must have enabled the remote desktop on both computers. This article explains how to enable and then set it up on your Windows PC.

How to enable Remote Desktop using Settings
Enable Remote Desktop in Windows 11 using Control Panel
Setup Remote Desktop in Windows 11

For Windows 10 Users: How to set up and use Remote Desktop on Windows 10

Enable and Setup Remote Desktop in Windows 11

To enable or setup remote desktop in Windows 11, read and apply the steps elaborated in the guideline below –

1] How to enable Remote Desktop using Settings

Before connecting to a remote desktop, you need to first enable this setting on your Windows 11 PC. There are two ways of doing so i.e. via Settings or through Control Panel. In this section, we will discuss the settings way. If you want to enable this setting via Control Panel, click here.

First of all, press Win + I to invoke the Settings app.
Select System then Remote Desktop on the right panel.
Slide the toggle switch to the right to enable this feature.

Just below this setting, you may find an option to allow remote desktop users.
Add the user’s email id or PC name that you want to access your device and click OK.

That’s it, you may now control this computer remotely.

2] Enable Remote Desktop in Windows 11 using Control Panel

Control Panel also provides a way out there that you can use to enable Remote Desktop in Windows 11. Here’s how the process goes –

Press Win + Q to launch the Search window.
Type “advanced system settings” in the text field, and click upon the top matching result.
On the System Properties window, go to the ‘Remote‘ tab.

Under Remote Assistance, tick the checkbox – “Allow Remote Assistance Connections to this computer“.
Similarly, check the box “Allow Remote Connections to this computer” under Remote Desktop.
You may opt-in to “Select users” and enter the mail id of the users whom you want to access your PC remotely.

Hit Add and then fill in the required details. Hit OK to confirm the changes.

Note: If you have set up your device to sleep or hibernate when not in use, go to Power Options in Control Panel, and alter this setting. Otherwise, people can’t access your PC when it goes to either sleep or hibernate mode.

Click Apply then OK to confirm these settings.

How to setup Remote Desktop in Windows 11

Now that you have enabled Remote Desktop on your Windows 11, let’s learn how to set it up. Well. for this, you need not move anywhere as you can enable the same without installing any third-party app. Here’s what you need to do on your computer –

1] Through Remote Desktop Connection App

There’s an inbuilt tool on all the latest versions of Windows including version 11 named “Remote Desktop Connection”. To control computers remotely, use these steps –

Press WinKey + S to launch the Search window.
Type “remote desktop” in the search bar.
From the list, click upon the top result i.e. Remote Desktop Connection.
In the Computer field, type the computer name to which you want to create a connection.
After entering remote desktop details, hit connect.
If you had previously connected to any device, use the drop-down menu to select that.
Alternatively, you may also connect remotely to a computer using the username. By default, this option is not visible. However, you may enable this by clicking over ‘Show Options‘.

Note: If you want to save the computer name or username, tick the checkbox – “Allow me to save credentials”.

Hit connect next and a prompt appears asking for the password.
Fill in the same and hit Connect again.

2] Alternate ways

Remote Desktop Connection is the best way to connect to some other device remotely. However, what if this is not working effectively on your computer? Well, in such scenarios, you do have alternate options as well.

Note: Below discussed tools are either from external sources or from Windows Store.

Microsoft Remote Desktop

This app is developed by the Microsoft team and works flawlessly to connect to a remote PC or even virtual apps. You need to first download and install this app on your computer.

When the app installation completes, double-click on its icon.
On the app interface, click “+ Add” and then select PCs/Workspaces.
Enter details like – PC name, User account, and Display name (optional).
Hit Save to enlist this device as one of your Saved PCs.
Now that you have entered the required details, go back to the Saved PCs section.
Click over the computer title and let the connection establishes.
A prompt may appear again asking to fill in the passkey.
Provide the same and when connected, you may control the remote device effectively.

Using extensions on Chrome

Google Chrome includes some remote desktop extensions that you can use to control devices remotely.

How to allow remote connections in Windows Firewall

Whatever option you opt to set up a remote connection on your computer, you must tweak the remote desktop setting on Windows Firewall. In case you didn’t allow it on Firewall, the same will block any incoming connection to your device. Here’s how to configure firewall settings –

Launch Control Panel.
When it does, click Windows Defender Firewall.
On the left pane, click – ‘Allow an app or feature through Window Defender Firewall’.
Click over the link – “Change settings” next.
Scroll below and mark the checkboxes – Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance.